Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 10 Oct: In a move to take cinema beyond conventional theatres, filmmaker Vinod Kapri is bringing his upcoming film ‘PYRE’ to some of Uttarakhand’s smaller towns through a mobile theatre initiative, ensuring that audiences without access to cinema halls can experience the film on the big screen.
Special screenings of PYRE will be held in Berinag, Bageshwar and Srinagar Garhwal from 14 to 17 October through Picture Time, a mobile theatre initiative that brings cinema to locations where conventional exhibition infrastructure is limited or unavailable.
“PYRE is a story that belongs to the mountains and to the people who live there. I wanted the people of Uttarakhand, especially those in smaller towns where there are no cinema halls, to have the opportunity to watch this film on the big screen. Cinema should not be limited by geography or access. With these screenings, we are taking the film to the audience rather than expecting the audience to travel to a city. I hope people see their own lives, their families and their emotions reflected in the film,” said Vinod Kapri.
Set in the hills of Uttarakhand, PYRE tells the poignant story of an elderly couple who continue to wait for their children, who have migrated to cities in search of better opportunities. Through their quiet lives and enduring wait, the film explores loneliness, ageing, migration and the emotional toll of families being separated by the pursuit of a better future.
The mobile theatre screenings carry particular significance for a film that draws its emotional core from the lived realities of the region. By bringing PYRE directly to smaller towns, the initiative gives local audiences an opportunity to engage with a story shaped by their own landscape, culture and experiences.
Picture Time’s mobile theatre model offers a portable cinema experience, complete with projection and sound facilities, in places where permanent theatres may not exist. The initiative also points to alternative ways of taking films beyond urban centres and the multiplex circuit, helping bridge the gap between filmmakers and audiences who are often left out of conventional theatrical distribution.
PYRE is slated for a theatrical release in Hindi and Malayalam on 30 October.
